Prince of Disaster
by Ivory Byrd
Summary: Zutara. War Has struck the fire nation in the form of a massacre. Our heroes realize that sometimes your enemies need saving. Same for Katara when she finds Zuko's life in danger as she helps him, only he doesnt accept this form of heroism Chapter 2 up
1. Chapter 1

Most of you have already read and reviewed for this... it hasnt changed... but if you want read again... i am doing some sorting of stories... that and i cant keep things the same for too long I know there are a lot of "end of the war" based stories, but this was one is different, because the unimaginable happens. You will have to read to find out though... Only a tiny bit of Zutara... only like by 15 percent. but you know by the end of this... its gonna turn into a complete zutara... i cant help myself... and i hate shipping... but these two are really fun to play with! I dont own anything Avatar... I just add my cryptic imagination to it.

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**PRINCE OF DISASTER**

Prince of Disaster

Prince of Misfortune

The Prince The Gods Hated

These were the stories that circulated through the world, the stories from the war, of course there were stories of the great waterbender who could pull water from the heavens, the fearless, blind metal bender girl, the girl crazy water warrior, and the youngest avatar that stopped the war. But the stories of the fire nation prince were the ones that were not in any way exagerated and most paid for. The stories ranged in tellings of his mother's disappearance to his claimed fall in the Fire Massacre.

The Fire Massacre itself was a very dark day. Originally named "Day of the Black Sun" it had become the "Day of the Fire Massacre" when Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe battle ships broke past the line of defenses and laid waste to the shore patrol on the main Fire island. Earthbenders destroyed towns and furious waterbenders drowned fisherman's port towns. When they reached the capitol, mercy wasn't even visible in the human mind. Yu-yan archers lined the walls and took down as many as they could, however all were crushed when the earthbenders brought down the protective wall around the Fire Nation capitol.

Unable to use firebending to protect themselves men and women soldiers were sent out to slow down the attacks like sacrificial flocks, with only spears and measly weapons at their sides, spirits rose as they fought to the last man to protect their country.

The group of children who had lead the attack stood upon their flying bison almost in shock, true war was below them. They had no idea what they brought to this country. One day of slaughter was equal to one hundred years of what the Fire Nation had achieved. They tried to subdue the fighting by knocking people away from each other, but despite their tries, the hundred years of hatred of its once fellow nations was stronger.

The prince had stood amongst his remaining family, sister and father. His hair tied back effectively in a top knot and dressed like the prince he truly was. Zuko looked across the country side that was falling and was begining to be stained with the blood of his people. He had quietly turned and left his father and sister to their own devices.

He had found himself in the palace gardens when the opposing countries made their way into the palace. Screaming fell upon his ears as he sat against the tree his mother used to hold him under. The gardens were still beautiful and kept, who would keep them after everyone was killed. He didn't much care about his own life in those moments, the garden became his worry. A turtle-duck swam up to him and cocked his head to the side looking at the prince.

"Run, humans don't care anymore of mercy." He said quietly when he felt the rumble of walls falling around him. The turtle-duck waddled away slowly back into the pond where it submerged into the water.

Zuko laughed at the spectacle, unaware of the explosions of rock pulled the walls of the gardens up from their spots. He laughed harder, delirious and out of mind due to the lack of sun, stupid moon spirit. Was it Tui or La? The thoughts ran through his mind making him laugh harder. Here he was, sitting in the gardens of his home as it was brought down around his feet. Only a month ago had he been with his uncle, a couple days after that he was very close to siding with the avatar. A week after the battle that almost killed the avatar, he was forced to plunge the knife given by his uncle into gracious, faithful to a fault, old man. This had started his hysteria, his depression. He was finally home though, thats what he wanted. His father didn't acknowledge him, his sister tortured him with the memories of their uncle, so most of his time was spent in his room.

Thinking back on this made him laugh harder, falling over onto the ground. He didn't notice three Earth Kingdom warriors made their way to the fire nation prince who was chuckling loudly.

"What should we do with him Rhum?" one of them asked.

"Looks like he is loosing it, at least we know he wont fight back." the taller one pointed to the young man who was laying on the ground pushing the side of his face into ground.

"He is the prince, its our duty to kill any trace of that filthy bloodline." The last one, Rhum said getting into earth bending stance, the others followed.

They didn't notice a long thin water whip forming around their feet. That is until it pulled all three men away from the delirious prince.

Katara stood, looking very disguntled. "You men are no better than the Fire Lord!" She yelled, the water whip threw them against one of the only standing walls around the garden they all ran off to fight elsewhere.

She had seen the cornered prince do nothing when the three men surrounded him. She didn't worry knowing he could protect himself without fire, until she noticed his state. She didn't protect him due to anything other than not wanting to see his body being broken and him not standing to fight.

Bending down the young man she grabbed his shoulder. He had stopped laughing and his eyes were vacant. Freaking out a bit she checked his pulse, it was there, but furthering her worry it was going at a violent pace. The young man was hyperventilating! She pulled him up to a sitting position and hoped that the new position would get the blood flow going and his heart could rest. His eyes were darting and threatening to roll back into his head.

Katara cursed loudly and knew that she had to be in other places than here. She narrowed her eyes and let her hand flew at his face. A sickening crack was heard. She pulled her hand back and waved it around hurt. He was still out of it, his laughing resumed slightly, his smile was reaching to his ears.

This caused the breath in her lungs to catch, chills ran under skin. Looking around frantically to maybe somehow wake him up she found the pond in front of them. She stood and grabbed him and pulled him towards the pond and dropping him in.

Zuko's mind snapped finally, the cold icy feeling of water rushed him back to consciousness. Flailing around he felt the water spit him back out on to solid ground. Breathing heavily and coughing up turtle-duck water.

"About time you snap out of it!" He heard in front of him.

It was that girl, the one he actually enjoyed fighting, and felt equal to. He reached to throw fire at her but the scream of his lungs made his arms drop.

"You need to get out of here, if you wanna live." She said quietly. Katara could feel tears press at the corners of her eyes. "We cannot stop the kingdoms from this slaughter."

Zuko got up and stood walked to the girl and back handed her.

Katara felt the back of his hand hit her across the side of the head, her body fell to the ground.

"This is a great way to end the war, I thought the avatar worked for the benefit of all people!" He yelled.

"Aang is trying to save your people!" She cried out at him.

"You didn't understand the consequence of your actions raising a giant army against a GROUP OF ISLANDS!" he thundered picking her up by the shoulder of her clothes and lifting her from the ground. Throwing her like a rag-doll into a patch of thorned serpent lilies.

Katara screamed as the tiny thorns tore through her thin clothes. "Please I saved you from earthbenders!" she screamed, reaching out to stop him from coming closer.

He ignored her grabbing her and ripping her from the bush.

Katara screamed as the thorns were ripped from her skin. Her arms numb from the poison in them, she was temporarily rendered bendless.

"Your wasting your breath waterbender, even without my bending I am much stronger than you." He drug her by the collar of her dress.

She tried to claw and his hands to let her go, but for waterbending females their nails never usually stayed thick and broke easily. She had no defense, and her friends were on different sides of the palace trying stop the fighting, she thought that if she had found the prince and maybe talked to him, perhaps she would get him on their side and help stop the slaughter. How very wrong she was when he had pulled her higher and slammed her back into one of the remaining pillars. Her hair catching free and falling loose.

He loved that he had the upper hand, throwing her into a batch of poisonous thorns had given him the help of subduing her. His hand was around her neck as she tried to scream for help, her arms and legs twitched trying to move up to attack him.

"Please... Zuko... we are the same." She said through a crushing voice box.

"How are we the same!?" He yelled sharply at her.

"I don't wanna see momma just yet!" Her tears were becoming waterfalls, falling over his hand and between his knuckles.

He pressed harder, "Well I am sorry, its your time." He said silent growl.

Katara smiled, which made his breath catch in his throat. Her hands came up slowly wrapping her fingers over his arm.

He cursed the poison's weak lifespan. Soon she would be able to move freely, and she might become a more challenge.

Her right hand slid up his arm as almost a guide so it didn't fall back to her side. She reached up toward his face, towards his scar.

He didnt slap her hand away, it actually felt kind of nice to have her touch it again.

"You... are... beaut..iful..." she said tears falling down her face still. "I am not upset with the decisions you have made Zuko." She was able to say completely.

Zuko's grip loosened when he heard the sentence. Her voice was deeper. Zuko closed his eyes and let his tears fall. Looking again Katara was replaced with another woman, Her hair was half up and draped over her shoulders, she wore the robe of the Fire Lady and the crown upon her head glinted in the sun. Her scent made him snatch his hand away from her neck. Zuko covered his face and sobbed into his hands.

"You are not your father, dont turn into him, please honey." He heard in his ears. Warm arms wrapped around his shoulders. "Remember that no matter what happens, my son, remember exactly who you are."

A few minutes before...

Katara could feel her neck crushing under his hand. Her blue eyes were flooded with tears and she couldn't see clearly. She could feel the nerves in her arms begin tingle. Her arm lifted without her consciously knowing that she could, 'Let me talk to him.' she heard in her mind. It was a sad voice that was close to tears itself. Katara agreed in her mind with the voice, her hand was touching his face and her fingertips caressed the leathery skin over his cheek and eye.

Katara's vision blurred and she imagined what he would have looked like if his face wasn't damaged and had the tell tale signs of hurt and loss erased. The Zuko she imagined took her breath away. "You... are... beautiful..." she blacked out.

She could barely hear the whimpering sounds of the prince then the soft words of the voice that was in her head.

'Katara baby?' she heard in her mind. 'Katara baby, honey please everything is alright, don't come to momma just yet, your battle isn't over honey, remember what the fortuneteller told you?'

'After having your third grandchild, you will pass away peacefully in your sleep.' Katara heard her own voice repeat the old woman's words. 'but momma, your so warm, cant I just stay with you now?'

Katara could see her mother smiling sadly, shaking her head. 'You have so many whom need you my sweet princess...'

Katara's mind screamed as the image of her mother began to disappear from her mind. 'Momma!'

'I am so proud of you Katara, you and Sokka,' she saw her mother's smile fade. 'Tell daddy I am proud of him too.'

Zuko looked at the waterbender on the ground, bruises formed on her neck from his hand. His crying continued even after the images of his mother had passed, he found out what for many years he wondered. What had happened to her. She was caught and Ozai crushed her throat with his bare hands. What he was just about to do to the poor defenseless waterbending girl that laid broken in front of him now.

She had never answered his question, but he forgot about that for right now. He heard footsteps and noticed there were earthbending soldiers coming full force at him. He had no way of protecting him or the girl. Looking around for anything to use he could feel the warm sun on his back

He could feel the pure, uncovered sun on his back!

Smiling deviantly he took a lungful of breath and prepared his better attack. An atomic blast of fire was sent out towards the ten men as they rose their earthbending to protect them. However the blast ripped through the rock and dirt curtain and burnt through clothing flesh and bone. Looking back at the waterbender that still hadn't stirred he picked her up and ran towards anyone that he could leave the girl with, more specifically one of her friends. He needed to fight!

The girl was strangely light in his arms, one hand on her back and the other pulling her knees on his side, he avoided falling debris from random earthbender attacks. Damn he hated this girl. But upsetting the spirits had brought this moment to him. Instead of letting him make another mistake and angering them more his mother turned him around and let him know the true direction he was supposed to go, now he was practically forced to bring her into care.

Running into the grand hall, or the remains of the grand hall, its emptiness gave him a slight hope of getting out. A scream pierced the air as he watched as his sister's body was thrown lifeless in front of him. Blood exploded from her and he turned to shield him and the girl in his arms from it. Walking cautiously over to the once princess's body his own heaved and he ran quickly out of the castle fearful of seeing more of what was left of her face. When he got to the front steps of the palace he was greeted by almost a thousand men, that weren't on his side. Most were benders others had weapons, and they were marching upon the front steps. He backed up into the palace and hid behind a pillar. Praying he hadn't been acknowledged. Shifting the girls weight he took off down one of the side halls. When he saw the bald headed monk pushing soldiers away from each other with strong gusts of air and earth.

Aang turned and saw someone carrying Katara. Doing a quick double take he realized it was Zuko. And the prince was coming to him.

"What did you do?!" Aang growled.

Zuko looked into the boy's eyes, "I almost made a mistake," Zuko didnt hand the girl over to the boy but kept her in his arms. "If you forgive me, I will forgive you for this slaughter that you brought unjustly."

"But you hurt her!" Aang yelled, his eyes beginning to glow.

"You sent an army that is responsible for countless innocent deaths!" the prince argued.

Aang began to levitate. "Your country did the same!"

"Avatar have you heard of the pecking order?" Zuko asked. "Its when one person is pushed and bullied because they were smaller. They are pecked until they DIE!"(1)

The avatar was still floating in the air.

Zuko could count the seconds of reasoning he had left. "Do you think its fair for two countries to come and lay a massacre on the Fire Nation's weakest day! A day when we cant fight back!"

The avatar began to float back down to the ground.

"Its unjust, and dishonorable, to even have sent ships out a hundred years ago like we had, and even now, the amount of deaths laid upon my feet and the countless bodies I have seen fall is unjust and unfair!" Zuko yelled.

Zuko dropped to his knees. "I am just as dishonorable as my countrymen, but even I have never killed a man before my uncle, whom was forced upon the blade he had given to me." Zuko had unconsciously pulled Katara closer and was crying into her shoulder.

Aang returned from the avatar state. He looked around the crumbling palace, he actually hoped to see it before this had happened, he had heard of the palace's vast and beautiful architecture.

"The gods have scorned and forsaken me, but to have even the avatar, to have you, forsake my people and let them die unjustly upon the hands of their enemies without being able to fight back is something I cannot stand for!" Zuko still had his face in the girl's shoulder, his muffled screaming was drowned by the footsteps of maybe a thousand angry soldiers that seemed to still be coming.

Aang looked desperately for a solution, his young mind was beginning to comprehend more of how wrong the situation turned to be. "Take Katara and hide yourselves, I am going to stop this for good!"

Zuko watched as Aang jumped past him and towards the main hall. Zuko rose with the girl still in his arms. She was beginning to become heavier.

Panic caused his blood to speed through his body. Laying the girl down he noticed she was taking shorter, inconsistent breaths. He was shaking her to get her to wake up. How ironic this all felt.

Katara was loosing her mental thought, she tried hanging on to the sounds on the outside world. But it was becoming harder and harder to take a breath. The last thing she remembered feeling was warm wetness on her shoulder.

Zuko laid his head to her chest searching for a heartbeat. He pressed his fingers down the middle of her chest until they were an inch below the last set of ribs, right over her diaphragm. Laying one hand over the other he pressed accurately down. He locked his arms straight down and pressed in tune with every other beat of his heart. He stopped and grabbed her chin with one hand and her forehead with the other and pulling her head to where it looked like she had her head raised. Putting his foot under her neck to keep her from falling back into her earlier position he pulled down on her chin and inwardly cursed at the situation. Covering her mouth with his he breathed into her. Holding back the fire, which made the situation very dangerous for her. He could breath fire into her lungs and kill her immediately. After a few breaths he removed his foot and again traced a line down the middle of her chest. He pressed with even thrusts, his arms locked. Fatigue was coming and so was an army of angry soldiers who when they saw a red outfit they killed the poor soul in it. One the last thrust his arms buckled and he crashed into her.

Katara could feel her heart take a heavy beat. The pain shot through her body as finally she could breath in the sharp air.

Zuko could feel her body react when he landed on her. She was breathing and coughing , but at least she was alive.

"Zuko?" laid on her side.

"I guess were even now." He said quietly and grabbed her up, but she reacted horribly.

She fought against him and ended up falling back down to the floor.

"Listen, if you want to get out here alive you have to come with me!" he yelled.

Katara tried to get up but collapsed on the ground. "Your mother talked to you didn't she?" she asked.

Zuko let a smile creep out of his features. "She told me that most of all the spirits hated me, that even if she forgave my mistakes, that they would make my life a living hell until I did something right." He said with a bit of humor.

Katara blinked.

Zuko cautiously bent down and picked her up again, she didn't fight back. "I hope your avatar can save everyone." He said quietly.

Katara was carried down a hall. She said nothing to the prince that cradled her in his arms. He was running quite fast and knowing that distracting him may bring his temper back or make him crash and fall. She couldn't figure out why her lips felt a bit sticky, when the answer came to her mind she blushed a vibrant red.

Zuko stopped finally to take a breath from running. He sat the girl down.

"I wasn't lying." He heard her say.

Zuko looked at her quickly, the slightest bit of confusion and puzzlement on his face.

"When I told you that you were beautiful." She said blushing slightly, "I meant what I said."

"If you think for a second I am going to kiss you willingly your wrong, fickle girl." he bit.

Katara blushed more, "Well you did basically just that."

"I was saving my own skin, if the avatar came back and you were dead." He said with the slightest bit of amusement. "I think... I know I couldn't have talked myself out of that."

Katara couldn't help but smile knowing one of her friends was still alive. "Well I didn't want you to kiss me anyways!" She huffed.

Zuko rolled his eyes and growled at the girl. "Are you done being complicated?" He argued.

Katara looked at the boy who sat across from her, his hand covered his cheek and burned over eye. He was stressed out immensely and her talking wasn't helping in the slightest.

Zuko swore that being around the blind earthbender would have been better. He let out a breath he had been holding and stood, he walked over to the girl and knelt down with his back to her. "If I carry you this way I can coordinate better running."

Katara blushed slightly and reached around his shoulders. She felt him grab her arms and lift her on his back. When she wrapped her legs around his waist he pulled them and held her accordingly. Katara smiled knowing that this way he could also protect them from any attacks without having to put her down. She leaned forward and gave him a slight peck on the cheek.

Zuko stiffened when he felt the girl's warm breath on his skin when she kissed him on the cheek. "What was that for?" he asked starting to run.

"For being a real prince." she said softly.

They... well he ran through the hallways to maybe find one of those rumored secret exits for this kind of situation. He would make the girl run but he knew that her legs were still useless by the cold feel they had to them.

"So, have you ever had a girlfriend?" She asked when they found a secluded room to hide in. The sounds of a small raid of men were coming from all sides he had kicked in a door and they went inside.

Zuko was being driven nuts by this girl. "Not really." he said quickly.

"Not really?" She asked.

"Why do you care?!" he bit harshly.

"I am just passing time and, I just trying questions that aren't obvious." She sounded dejected.

Zuko rolled his eyes yet again that day. "I almost had a girlfriend."

Katara smiled. "Really who?" She didnt stop there, "How old was she, I bet she was pretty, how far did you guys go?" She hammered off question.

"Wait stop!" He grabbed her shoulders. "Why are you asking so many questions about it?"

The girl looked around sheepishly.

"Her name was Jin. She was older than me, she was average..." Zuko blushed.

"You guys did it?!" She squeeled.

Zuko's red face paled. "No I didn't say that." He seriously didn't know why he revived her. "We just kissed."

Katara's head bobbed up and down in understanding. "Oh."

"Oh?" He asked in confusion. He really believed girls were crazy.

"Well I guess by technicality you stole my first kiss." She said.

"It wasn't even a kiss!" He stood and walked a few feet away from her and sat back down. "You are so confusing, you know that?"

"That's the pot calling the kettle black." she murmured.

"What was that girl?!" He yelled. "How the hell am I confusing?!"

"First you make such a big deal about me asking questions, then you turn around and answer them!" She answered him. "There is also the fact that you act like you hate me! Why dont you just drop me and run off and live?!"

"First, your the one wanting conversation!" He glared. "Second that would be a bad decision and I dont know how much more bad luck and or smiting on my character." he said referring to the spirits that hated him.

"Oh." she said.

"OH?!" He got up and walked back over to her grabbing her shoulders again pulling her closer to him. "Is that all you have to say?" he said dangerously quiet.

Katara blinked. "Um... Zuko we are pretty close." She said noting the lack of distance between them.

He dropped her like a sack and she landed on her bottom. He turned away from her and sat, the faintest of blushes coming to his face. He would seriously kill her right now if he knew it wouldn't backfire on him later.

A while later when things were quiet Zuko poked his head outside. Katara was tracing the stone tiles on the floor with her finger, looking very bored. She could start to feel her legs a bit but they were still unusable. She looked down at the tile she was sitting on and noticed cool air was flowing from the crack.

"What's wrong?" She heard behind her.

"I think there is something under this tile!" She said excitedly at the thought of an escape from the palace.

Zuko rushed to her side and lifted her off the tile and pulled out his dagger, he lifted the tile to see a vent with... water rushing below it. It was the plumbing system! Getting up he smashed his foot through the flimsy metal. He received a couple cuts on his ankle. Katara looked excitedly at the water. She helped him pull the thin metal up to where the could fit through. The tunnel systems were used for the plumbing in the palace. They were huge tunnels that the two could slide to the lake at the end. He just prayed neither of them got stuck and drowned. It wasn't the safest route but 1. neither was walking in pure daylight during a battle and 2. he had a waterbender with him. He noticed her free flowing hair and untied his own letting it fall around his neck. "Put your hair up where it cant get caught in anything." He handed her the tie.

Katara smiled as he shook out his thick black hair. She began to braid her hair. "So I guess we are going down?"

"Yes, I will go down there and wait for you. Then move your legs under my shoulders so we dont get separated."

Katara was shaking in apprehension. She didn't really want to do this at all, but she would rather take her chances this way. The door of their room opened suddenly. Both snapped their heads to the door.

"I thought I heard Sugar Queen." It was Toph.

"Toph!" Katara yelled, she would have gotten up to hug her friend but she couldn't stand.

Toph closed the door. "Its pretty bad out there, Sokka told me to retreat, he and Appa went to look for Aang... what are you doing with Angry pony-tail dude?"

"He saved me, we were about to go down the plumbing system." Katara said looking at Zuko and smiling.

"Well I can help there, I was sent to find you anyways, and I did now lets get the heck outta here!" Toph walked over to the two and jumped into the pipe.

"How much can you see?" Katara asked.

"It's pretty windy, I can bend them since they are metal, but I have to be in front, you love birds will argue who gets backseat." Toph let the water rush over her feet. She put a hand on the floor the two sat on.

"Hey I don't love her!" Zuko denied.

Katara just blushed, and received a glare from the male.

Toph rose her hand. "Um, human lie detector!" Toph bent down to sit in the water. "Come on its pretty cold!" She slid down a bit and then with her bending she closed up the pipe enough for her to stand on.

Zuko looked at Katara and helped her into the tunnel. Katara then felt Toph grab her feet.

Katara sat down in the cold water, her hands were on the bent metal.

Zuko didn't move, his face became distant and he looked away for a moment. "You two go, if I see Aang or your brother, I will tell them where your at."

Katara froze, "No come with us!" She begged him.

Zuko smiled and rolled his eyes. "No." He went to stand but Katara grabbed him and pulled him down.

They stared at each other. She moved in towards him and closed the space between their faces.

Zuko pulled away when he felt her breath on his lips. "Go now!" He yelled.

Toph unbent the metal and Katara was drug down into the tunnel system.

Zuko turned and sort of wished he had went with them.

Traveling through the pipes went like a blur, she heard the bending and unbending of pipes as they were slung side to side.

Katara woke up on the shore of a lake. Toph next to her coughing up water. Katara lifted her hand and bent the rest out of the younger girl.

"Thanks." Toph said falling back on the sand. "So... whats between you and angry ponytail?"

"Nothing..." Katara said pulling the tie from the end of her braid. it was a deep red. She wrapped it around her wrist and smiled.

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I am going to do a continuation of this story later... when I figure it out... dont worry its in the hamster wheel stage in my brain...Actually this completely is not what i had planned on... if you could tell raise your hand... since it went from being told like it was in the past to sounding current... but dont fret... i will put the continuation up! but yeah REVIEW IF YOU LIKED IT!!! Please Puppy Dog Eyes attack! 


	2. Chapter 2

Hey everyone, Pt 2 of Prince of DisasterAfter arriving on the Fire Islands a month Katara and Toph look for survivors that may be left, and send them to the Southern Islands. Katara is dead set on finding out what happened to Zuko, despite being picked on about it by Toph. I used some world history in this chapter so see if you can pick it out… my history teacher would be proud… here's a hint… it has to do with around the time period of the 30's to the 50's…. 

Prince of Disaster pt 2

He would sit here under that stupid tree his mother would cradle him under, once a full blooming sakura tree with beautiful pink flowers, now stood bare to the bone, like the bodies that still littered the grounds of the palace, hundreds upon thousand fire, earth, and water nation soldiers now laid. All were now decomposing, giving the air a waft of death and a metallic taste from breathing didn't leave him easily.

It was almost a stroke of luck that Prince Zuko survived, of course he didn't get out unscathed, being discovered amongst rubble by a few of his people, despite him being the Fire Lord's son they looked at him with hope. Maybe to help them. He was the only one of the royal family and the only one who could bend fire. After being healed he had stayed away from them, only helping out from the shadows. Bringing them food then hiding away back into the ruins of the palace.

He wasn't entirely sure if this made him Fire Lord by default, since there would be no crowning nor would there be a council at his side helping him.

The "Fire Lord" chuckled lightly. He knew what was coming, this happened to him quite a bit, hysteria, when he was searching for the Avatar it hardly came out, because he had a focus then, he had nothing now, the war was over, the Avatar is whoever knows where. And his uncle, his mentor, was dead. By his hand no less. Despite his thoughts of Azula betraying him and lying to him, she had only been half right, he got his honor back. Only at the expense of his uncle's life.

His mind began to slip more, he was thinking to much, he hated going through this ordeal seemingly every day. But to Zuko, the prince of disaster and a dead country, days were nothing but the falling of the sun.

* * *

Toph stepped upon the rocky ground of the once Fire Nation Islands. Her head was bowed as she searched her radius of two miles for any life. 

Katara stood over the girl looking over the main island. It looked like a barren wasteland, with ruins littering a good amount of the island. Cities once stood here and were painted of red and gold with the fire nation symbol flying with pride on flags or proudly painted on walls.

The Fire Nation, excluding refugees escaping the war, were hunted down and killed. When the Avatar's friends came to bear the news of his death soon after the end of the massacre to the two remaining world leaders they had also exercised their vocal range when it came to sending a massacre to a defenseless country. Which in turn they were told they wouldn't understand.

Then the remaining gang had learned a horrible secret that all fire nation refugees were taken to special camps to keep them under a watchful eye so they didn't try anything. Fire benders had their lives taken, despite their age or gender.

Toph had given the idea to break down the camps and release the refugees. This to Sokka and Katara wasn't a bad idea. So dressing up in masks and black clothing they stormed the five camps that held fire benders and set them free and transporting them to ships to take them to smaller fire nation islands.

Now just the two girls stood on the main island, Sokka was hanging in Kyoshi probably flirting profusely with Suki.

Katara sat down and waited for her friend to finish her search, Toph really was an amazing bender, learning two kinds of bending before she was thirteen. And metal being one of them, she could see through almost anything, with a touch she could tell if your lying.

* * *

Katara remembered the night Aang died. He was weary like the rest of them, getting atop of Appa fled the country; she of course was hesitant and desperately wanted to know how Zuko had fared. But Toph's urgency to get Aang out of there pulled the girl out of her hesitancy. They flew to the Southern Air Temple where Aang was raised. They stayed the night there. 

Katara rubbed her hand over the young boy's scalp as his head laid in her lap and looking up to her. Toph refused to be anywhere close, she went as far as sleeping atop of Appa that night. She had dared not tell Katara why.

Aang revealed his feelings to her that night also; he clutched her hand tightly as he fell asleep.

Hearing a scream outside Katara laid the boy down on a pallet and ran outside.

Toph was crying and screaming hitting the ten ton bison. "Appa wake up! Come on!" She was screaming. Momo was freaking out jumping around on its bison friend.

Sokka had jumped up at the screaming and had been inspecting the bison, unsure if it was asleep.

Toph jumped onto the ground and began crying louder.

Katara's eyes widened. Turning around she rushed back in the temple and grabbed Aang, he hadn't woken when Toph screamed and being the lightest sleeper of them all he would have when he was moved to the floor. She grabbed the boy and shook him. "Aang?" she said quietly just in case he would wake up.

He still didn't stir, his body hung loosely in her grip.

Katara looked back and saw that Toph and Sokka were standing the doorway looking in. Toph was still crying and Sokka had his eyes averted. Her eyes didn't move from Toph.

"Toph, is Aang?" Katara couldn't finish the sentence.

A nod from the blind girl confirmed it.

Katara cried and clutched the body close to her body and sobbed. She screamed so loudly that the rain clouds above them fell in a down pour and ice rained from the sky.

The stories of her pulling water from the heavens came from that moment. Her anger and sadness had done that.

They buried the Avatar next to his animal guide's body. They had barely made it down the mountain in one piece, Toph had been in a depressing mood and her bending was affected by it. It was a bad thing for an earthbender to loose its spirit. Especially Toph.

Sokka had given them an uplifting speech the next day. Almost on the verge of tears himself.

* * *

Katara smiled softly remembering seeing her brother giving two sobbing girls a pep talk while trying to keep his own waterworks from acting up. 

"Well no one is here." Toph said finally. "I sent vibrations to the edge of the island to bounce back from the water. I didn't pick up anything."

"Are you sure?" Katara asked. She looked around again.

"There is nothing on this island." Toph replied. "Alive, the only thing I am hearing is the wind."

"There has got to be someone on this island." Katara looked toward the palace ruins.

"You know as well as I do that he is dead, the avatar told us that no one saw him."

"Zuko is a bit more determined than that, and plus we are here to look for survivors." Katara said angrily.

"First of all princess!" Toph remarked. "He had something to live for back then, its been only a month, without proper food and water, which do I need to remind you everything was destroyed, no one would be able to live."

Katara shot the girl a look.

"Second, this isn't like our little escapade releasing fire nation refugees from those camps."  
Toph gave Katara a pat on the back. "No one is here."

Katara stood up from her place on the fallen archway that acted as a sort of defense for their meager camp. "Well I am going to look around and see if I can find anything." Katara huffed and walked down a small path away from her friend.

Toph stuck out her tongue.

Katara scanned the ruins all around her; she was heading towards the remains of the palace. Maybe he was dead, Toph did have a point. Or maybe he fled like they did, soon after the fighting was deemed useless to try stopping. She hoped that if he had died, he did it helping the war. And not under the thumb of his own bad luck with the spirits.

She reached farther into the island, there truly was nothing alive, it was silent except for her own foot steps and breathing, shoving all negativity away she focused on good things. The southern Water Tribe was becoming like its sister tribe up north. Snow buildings replaced igloos and they had remade Sokka's watch tower. Which was a bit of wasted time, he was pretty determined to take Suki as a wife and Kyoshi was much warmer than the south pole.

She stumbled slightly over some rocks. She then heard giggling, snapping her head towards the sound she saw a tiny head duck around a corner. "Hello?" She asked.

No one replied, but a giggle sounded again.

Katara turned the opposite way. "Listen, I am not going to hurt you, we have food and supplies, and a boat to take you to the southern islands to the rest of your people." She said loudly.

"Please leave us," Katara whirled around to see some people standing behind her.

"You are all here?" She asked quickly.

The one who spoke was a man, he was standing in front of the small crowd. "Please if you have come to pick of straggler..."

"No I am only here to help, we have been sending refugees to one of the southern islands with food and provisions." She said cutting him off.

Everyone around them began to murmur slightly.

"I promise no harm will come to you." She said assuringly. "We have a boat large enough to hold twenty at a time."

A little girl came up and smiled at her tugging at her tunic. "Can we take Mana?" She held up a doll to Katara.

Katara smiled softly and nodded her head, looking up she waited for the girl's parent to come and get her. "Whats your name?" She asked the tiny girl.

"Hotaru." She said.

"Hotaru is one of fifteen children without parents." the man said.

Katara knelt to the ground and bowed. "I am very sorry that tragedy has befallen your country. I am ashamed of my countrymen and once allies." She bowed slightly.

"We will talk to our lord about this." The man said turning around.

Katara shot up, "who is your lord?" She asked quickly.

"The once fire prince Zuko, he is the only survivor of the bloodline of the ones born from Agni, and one of the few remaining firebenders on the island."

Katara smiled. "Can I come with you to talk to him?" She asked.

The man nodded his head and motioned her to follow.

The little girl clung to Katara's tunic. "Can I stay with you?" She asked.

Katara smiled and put her hand through the little girl's straight ratted hair and pulled her closer. "Of course you can."

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yay finally found a closing, its gonna turn into a multi chapter fic i just know it... actually it already has.. i hope you guys enjoyed this! 

review!


	3. Chapter 3

Ok before I start I would like to inform all my readers that after this, NESFH, and any other unfinished story is finished I am not going to completely convert… (Doesn't mention converting to) from Zutara, I will understand if you all hate me for this, (don't worry it's not Kataang…

Loki: She is going Maiko on you all…

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Okiday that's done… Ok before you freak out and start wanting to strangle me… listen… I am not giving up my Zutara blood… I still have so many ideas left for it… so I should be able to keep your fill up to September... but I will also be posting some Maiko… if you could all do me a favor and read them and maybe let me know if you like them? Despite the pairing… it's not like am gonna go out of my way to bash Katara… She is still one of my fave characters. But until this, The Curse and NESFH are done I won't try to start anything new….

Thank you, and happy reading

Prince of Disaster

Chapter 3

It was a long hike to the palace, since it overlooked the sea it was a long trek from where she had met the people, which was a bit strange since Toph was dead set on saying there weren't.

She didn't quite care at the moment why, but she was a bit worried about the younger girl, but Toph was strong, and she could take care of herself.

They walked for a good few more minutes before they reached the destroyed castle. People had fled to here to take shelter due to the walls and roofing still up. Pallets and fires littered the ground.

"They are all that's left; everyone here is all we know have survived on the mainland." The man leading finally spoke noticing her questioning look.

Katara nodded her head in understanding. "We have a boat that can carry about twenty at a time. To the southern island where there are pilgrims from the earth kingdom have fled to start over."

"We thank you for your hospitality." The man said. "We are without food; all game on island has been already taken by us. Water is scarce."

Katara wanted to start crying. "I won't leave anyone behind who needs help." She said softly. Hotaru pulled slightly on her tunic.

The little girl pointed to what remained of the giant staircase of the entrance. The peeling of the old dirty carpet showed that many had walked it that day. Something ducked out of her sight. The girl grabbed her hand and pulled her along and up the stair case.

Katara followed full spirited, running at a slower pace she followed the girl down halls that were bloodstained, torn, and amazingly enough… bodiless.

"I saw him go this way; he is very shy and doesn't like to come out of the shadows." Hotaru said between breaths as she ran.

They passed a room that made Katara stop in her tracks. But she was pulled again and she ignored it for now. After a minute of chasing what seemed only to be a shadow the girl slowed down to a walk and she stopped finally in front of a door with a tapestry hanging. Reaching toward it she grabbed it and slowly moved it away for her to walk through, it was the gardens. But now it was dead and dry, the smell of death hit her hard. She covered her mouth and nose. Looking around she saw the small pond and the tallest tree still stood over it.

"Wait there till night and he will come," Hotaru said suddenly. Katara looked down and smiled at the girl, who suddenly began to decay; her cheeks fell into her face. The hand she was holding disconnected from the wrist and fell limply to small girl's side before falling off.

Katara shot up, looking around she noticed she was in the garden, but it was dark out. A hand fell on her shoulder lightly, causing her to scream out and try to evade whoever was there with her.

A tight grip over her wrist pulled her back and she was yanked out of the gardens. He back hit a stone wall. Still trying to get away she felt a hard hand hit her lightly across the face, but it was enough to snap her out of her shock. Lifting her hand up to her cheek she looked up to see who assaulted her.

"Zuko?!" She yelled and grabbed him around the shoulders and pulled him into a hug.

Zuko who wasn't expecting to be manhandled pushed the girl away. "What the hell?!" He half yelled.

Katara smiled, "I told Toph you were still alive, she didn't believe me at all, saying she didn't hear anyone on this island but I found all those survivor…"

"There aren't any survivors on this island aside from me." He cut her off.

"No, but I saw…"

"Spirits, there are a ton here, all died in the war, I sent any survivors to a northern island, I still am here most of the time." He explained.

Katara let her head fall. Putting her hands over her face she tried to think things through. "We have been sending refugees to the southern islands with supplies." She said through her hands.

He looked around, "You came alone?" he asked.

"No Toph is still at the boat, we had an argument and I ran off. She probably knows where I am but… I still need to get back to her." Katara said getting up. Grabbing his wrist she pulled him along.

Confused he stopped and pulled away. "So what are you doing with me?" He asked quickly.

"You're coming with us, of course." She said plainly.

He gave her a look, "Where is the avatar?" He asked.

Katara looked down to the ground.

Noticing her change of attitude, he guessed what it could be. "Aang is dead isn't he?" Zuko asked.

Katara felt the warm tears well up in her eyes. "He died right after the battle." She whispered.

He stood there and didn't know what to do. He had hoped the Avatar was still alive, but now he felt at a loss. "The chain of Avatars was broken then."

She cried a bit louder. "It was, is no known air nomads left, no benders." She wiped her face. "My people haven't reported any special child yet."

"So what have you and your brother been doing?" He asked.

"It's amazing actually, we freed some fire nation refugees from Ba Sing Se, you could say we are freedom fighters, only we work for freedom of all nations." She said feeling a bit better. "Jet would have cheered us on from the spirit world."

"Jet…" He thought. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

"You knew Jet?" They had began walking, he lead her away from the castle gardens and towards the entrance. "Fighter who was obsessed with defeating the fire nation?" She said trying to get him to remember.

"Yes I have fond memories of fighting him; he swore to catch uncle and me as fire benders." Zuko remembered and his slight smile faded. "He was taken away by Di Lee, and we never seen him again."

"He was killed by a Di Lee." Katara said bitterly. "Like us his parents were taken from him by a fire nation raid." She was amazed that as they walked they were having to step over bodies left and right, which from earlier was different. They reached the end of the steps and he stopped.

Zuko saw the red hair tie that held her hair in a braid tied at the end. Shaking his head slowly. "You didn't have to keep that tie." He said.

"Looks like you're in need of it more." She remarked on his shoulder length hair. "Zuko I would have to say of anyone I know your hair grows much faster."

He slid a hand through his thin black hair.

"Come with us back to the southern island, or northern so we can pick up people." She said suddenly breaking his train of thought. She had her hand out to him. "You of all people need a new beginning."

"So what becomes of our gracious capitol?" He asked looking back at the palace behind them.

"A new beginning also, Toph and Haru who is a great Earth bender, can clear off the island and make it new to start over." She assured him.

"The fire nation has fallen, why are you guys helping anyways?" He asked coming down off the last step.

"For Aang, he wanted it this way." She said barely above a whisper. "And besides, the fire nation still has her prince." She pointed and poked his chest.

He shook his head and rolled his eyes, and followed her down the rocky path.

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Ok thats it for now, i hope you all enjoyed that... dont worry there is still more for this story, the surprises dont end there however... more are still to come

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